The mission of A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co. in the words of our founder is
“To make good products and to sell them honestly.”
We, the stockholders and employees, accomplish this by extending the McDonald family culture
through excellent customer service and by focusing on our customers’ needs.
WHO’S THE BOSS?
Here’s a question I’ll bet you could ask a thousand working people and never get the right answer. The
question is:
There’s only one boss, and whether a person shines shoes for a living or heads up the largest corporation
in the world, the boss remains the same.
The customer is the person who pays everyone’s salary and who decides whether a business is going to
succeed or fail. The customer doesn’t care if a business has been around a hundred years. The minute
it starts treating them badly, the customer will put it out of business.
This boss, the customer, has bought and will buy everything you have or will ever have. The customer has
bought all of your clothes, your home, your car, your children’s education, and your vacation. They pay all
of your bills and they pay them in exact proportion to the way you treat them.
The man who works deep inside a big plant on an assembly line might think he’s working for the company
that writes his pay check, but he is not. He’s working for the person who buys the product at the end
of the line, the customer. In fact, this customer can re everyone in the company from the president on
down. And they can do it by simply spending their money someplace else. This is one of the reasons why
taking pride in the work we do is so important to us personally. Doing an exceptionally good job will not
only bring joy and satisfaction, it will help get more customers, keep the ones we’ve got, and ensure that
we continue to get a pay check from our bosses.
“Who’s The Boss?”
It’s The Customer!
Some of the largest companies that had ourishing businesses a few
years ago are no longer in existence. They couldn’t - or didn’t - satisfy the
customer. They forgot who the boss really was!
At A.Y. McDonald we remind ourselves every day that the customer is
the boss. It’s one of our core values and the reason we provide the
best customer service in the business.
3
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Page
Pump Basics
General Information .................................................................. 7-22
A centrifugal pump is a very simple design. The only moving part is an impeller attached to a shaft that is
driven by the motor. The two main parts of the pump are the impeller and diffuser. The impeller can be made
of bronze, stainless steel, cast iron, polycarbonate, and a variety of other materials. A diffuser or volute
houses the impeller and captures the water off the impeller.
Water enters the eye of the impeller and is thrown out by centrifugal force. As water leaves the eye of the
impeller, a low pressure area is created, causing more liquid to ow toward the inlet because of atmospheric
Pump Basics
pressure and centrifugal force. Velocity is developed as the liquid ows through the impeller while it is
turning at high speeds on the shaft. The liquid velocity is collected by the diffuser or volute and converted
to pressure by specially designed passageways that direct the ow to discharge into the piping system, or
on to another impeller stage for further increasing of pressure.
Diffuser
The head or pressure that a pump will develop is in direct relation to the impeller diameter, the number of
impellers, the eye or inlet opening size, and how much velocity is developed from the speed of the shaft
rotation. Capacity is determined by the exit width of the impeller. All of these factors affect the horsepower size of the motor to be used; as the more water
to be pumped or pressure to be developed, the more energy is needed.
A centrifugal pump is not positive acting. As the depth to water increases, it pumps less and less water. Also, when it pumps against increasing pressure
it pumps less water. For these reasons it is important to select a centrifugal pump that is designed to do a particular pumping job. For higher pressures
or greater lifts, two or more impellers are commonly used; or a jet ejector is added to assist the impellers in raising the pressure.
Impeller
Which Pump Do I Need?
The two most popular types of pumps used for private well systems or low ow irrigation applications are jet pumps and submersible pumps.
For a jet nozzle to be effective it must be combined with a venturi. The venturi changes the high-speed jet stream back to a high-pressure for delivery to the centrifugal pump. The jet and venturi are simple in appearance but they have to be well engineered and carefully matched to
be efcient for various pumping conditions. The
jet nozzle and venturi are also known as ejectors/ejector kits.
On a shallow-well jet pump the ejector kit (jet nozzle and venturi) is located in the pump housing in front of the impeller.
A portion of the suction water is recirculates
through the ejector with the rest going to the pressure tank. With the ejector located on the suction side of the pump, the suction is increased considerably. This enables a centrifugal pump to increase its effective suction lift from about 20 feet to as much as 28 feet, but the amount of water delivered to the storage tank becomes less as the distance from the pump to the water increases because more water has to recirculate to operate the ejector.
The difference between a deep-well jet pump and a shallow-well jet pump is the location of the ejector. The deep-well ejector is located in the well below the water level. The deep-well ejector works in the same way as the shallow-well ejector. Water is supplied to it under pressure from the pump. The ejector then returns the water plus an additional supply from the well, to a level where the centrifugal pump can lift it the rest of the way by suction.
A convertible jet pump allows for shallow-well operation with the ejector mounted on the end of the pump body. This type of pump can be converted to a deep-well jet pump by installing the ejector below the water level.
Jet
Nozzle
Water
Under
Pressure
Jet Ejector
Drive
Pipe
Return Pipe
Foot Valve
Jet Pumps
A deep well ejector is of particular value when you have a water level that is gradually
lowering. The proper jet package will be required to work efciently.
Diffuser
Suction
Nozzle
Because jet pumps are centrifugal pumps, the air handling characteristics are such
that the pump should be started with the pump and piping connections to the water
supply completely lled with water.
With a shallow-well jet pump, the ejector is mounted close to the pump impeller. With a
deep well jet pump, the ejector is usually mounted just above the water level in the well,
or else submerged below water level.
Venturi
Impeller
Centrifugal pumps, both the shallow-well and deep well types have little or no ability to pump air. When starting, the pump and suction line needs to have
all of the air removed. An air leak in the suction line will cause the pump to quit pumping. This is or sometimes referred to as “losing its prime”.
Typical Jet Pump Installation
Deep Well
TWO PIPE SYSTEM
Pressure
Regulator
Well
Seal
Jet
Ejector
Foot
Valve
SINGLE PIPE SYSTEM
Reducing
Nipple
Turned
Coupling
Packer
Ejector
Cup
Leathers
Foot Valve
To safety
switch or
circuit
breaker panel
Pressure
Switch
Shallow Well
Pressure
Gauge
Well
Seal
Foot
Valve
Check
Valve
Well
Point
Vertical
Check
Valve
To safety
switch or
circuit
breaker panel
Pressure
Switch
Pump Basics
How a Jet Provides
Pumping Action
Water is supplied to the Jet ejector under pressure. Water surrounding the jet stream is
lifted and carried up the pipe as a result of the jet action.
When a jet is used with a centrifugal pump a portion of the water delivered by the pump
is returned to the jet ejector to operate It. The jet lifts water from the well to a level where
the centrifugal pump can nish lifting It by suction.
9
Pump Basics
Submersible Pumps
The submersible pump is a centrifugal pump. Because all stages of the pump end (wet end) and the motor are
joined and submerged in the water, it has a great advantage over other centrifugal pumps. There is no need to
recirculate or generate drive water as there is with jet pumps, therefore, most of its energy goes toward “pushing”
the water rather than ghting gravity and atmospheric pressure to draw water.
Virtually all submersibles are “multi-stage” pumps. All of the impellers of the multi-stage submersible pump are
Pump Basics
mounted on a single shaft and all rotate at the same speed. Each impeller passes the water to the eye of the next
impeller through a diffuser. The diffuser is shaped to slow down the ow of water and convert velocity to pressure.
Each impeller and matching diffuser is called a stage. As many stages are used as necessary to push the water
out of the well at the required system pressure and capacity. Each time water is pumped from one impeller to the
next, its pressure is increased.
The pump and motor assembly are lowered into the well by connecting piping to a position below the water level. In
this way the pump is always lled with water (primed) and ready to pump. Because the motor and pump are under
water they operate more quietly than above ground installations and pump freezing is not a concern.
A.Y. McDonald can stack as many impellers as needed; however, the horsepower of the motor is limited. For instance,
numerous pumps have 1/2 HP ratings - pumps that are capable of pumping different ows at different pumping
levels; they will, however, always be limited to 1/2 HP. Another way to look at it is that a pump will always operate somewhere along its design curve.
Impeller /
Diffuser Stack
To get more ow, the exit width of the impeller is increased and there will then be less pressure (or head) that the pump will develop because there will be
less impellers on a given HP size pump. Remember, the pump will always trade-off one for the other depending on the demand of the system. If the system
demands more than a particular pump can produce, it will be necessary to go up in horsepower; thereby, allowing more impellers to be stacked or to go to a
different design pump with wider impellers.
A pump curve is a curved line drawn over a grid of vertical and horizontal lines. The curved line
represents the performance of a given pump. The vertical and horizontal grid lines represent units
of measure to display that performance.
Let’s think of a well full of water. We want to use the water in a home. The home is at a higher level
than the water in the well. Since gravity won’t allow water to ow uphill, we use a pump. A pump
is a machine used to move a volume of water a given distance. This volume is measured over a
period of time expressed in gallons per minute (GPM) or gallons per hour (GPH).
The pump develops energy called discharge pressure or total dynamic head. This discharge
pressure is expressed in units of measure called pounds per square inch (psi) or feet of head (ft).
NOTE: 1 psi will push a column of water up a pipe a distance of 2.31 feet. When measuring
a pump’s performance, we can use a curve to determine which pump is best to meet our
requirements.
Figure 1 is a grid with the unit of measure in feet on the left hand side. We start with 0 at the
bottom. The numbers printed as you go up the vertical axis relate to the ability of the pump to
produce pressure expressed in feet. Always determine the value of each grid line. Sometimes the
measure will say feet head, which is what most engineers call it.
With the pump running a reading was taken from the gauge in psi and converted to feet
(1 psi = 2.31 feet).
We show another unit of measure in gallons per minute across the bottom. You start with 0 on
the left. The numbers printed as you go to the right relate to the ability of the pump to produce
ow of water expressed as capacity—in gallons per minute (GPM). Again, always determine the
value of each grid line.
FIGURE 1
Pump Basics
FIGURE 2
To establish a pump curve we run the pump using a gauge, valve, and owmeter on the discharge
pipe. We rst run the pump with the valve closed and read the gauge. This gives us the pump’s
capability at 0 capacity and maximum head in feet.
Figure 2 - We mark the grid point 1. Next we open the valve to 8 GPM ow, and read the gauge.
We again mark this point on the grid 2. We continue this process until we have
marked all the points on the grid.
Figure 3 - We now connect all the points. This curved line is called a head/capacity curve.
Head (H) is expressed in feet and capacity (C) is expressed in gallons per minute (GPM).
The pump will always run somewhere on the curve.
When the total dynamic head (TDH) is known, read vertically up the left hand side of the curve to
that requirement, for example, 300 feet. Then read horizontally to a point on a curve that connects
to the capacity needed, for example 26 GPM. It is then determined that a 3 HP 19 stage pump is
needed.
There are many different type curves shown in our catalog. Figure 4 is a composite performance
curve (more than one pump) for the submersible. There is a separate curve for each horsepower
size. Let’s compare two sizes:
1. First look at the 1 HP, 8 stages (impellers and diffusers). At 20 GPM capacity this model will
make 160 feet.
2. Now look at the 5 HP, 28 stages. At 20 GPM capacity this model will make 500 feet.
When you add impellers, the pump makes more pressure (expressed in feet). This allows the pump
to go deeper in a well, but also takes more horsepower.
The vertical distance between the well
head and the level at the point of use.
It must be added to the TOTAL DYNAMIC
HEAD if the inlet is lower than the outlet and subtracted if the inlet is higher.
As a rule of good installation practice,
however, pipes should slope continuously
upward from the inlet to the outlet to prevent entrapment of air.
SERVICE PRESSURE
The range of pressure in the pressure
tank during the pumping cycle.
Determining Total Dynamic Head
Vertical Lift / Elevation
The vertical distance in feet from the pitless adapter to the top of
1
the pressure tank
Service Pressure
The average (pump shut-off) pressure switch setting x 2.31'.
2
Example for a 30/50 switch: 40 x 2.31' = 92.4 feet
Pump Basics
Well Size
(inside diameter in inches)
__________
HEAD
+
Convert PSI to feet
(X 2.31)
Pump Basics
PUMPING LEVEL
The lowest water level reached during
pumping operation. (Static level – drawdown)
STATIC OR STANDING WATER LEVEL
The undisturbed level of water in the well
before pumping. Not as important as
pumping level.
DRAWDOWN
The distance that the water level in the
well is lowered by pumping. It is the difference between the STATIC WATER LEVEL
and the PUMPING LEVEL.
FRICTION LOSS
The loss of pressure or head due to the
resistance to ow in the pipe and ttings. Friction loss is inuenced by pipe
size and uid velocity, and is usually ex-
pressed in feet of head.
HORIZONTAL RUN
The horizontal distance between the
point where uid enters a pipe and the
point at which it leaves.
TOTAL DYNAMIC HEAD or TDH
TDH and capacity required determines
pump size. The total pressure or head
the pump must develop is the sum of the
VERTICAL LIFT/ELEVATION, THE SERVICE
PRESSURE, PUMPING LEVEL, and THE
FRICTION LOSS. All of these measurements must be expressed in the same
units, usually feet of head or pressure
(PSI), before adding them together.
Pumping Level
The vertical distance in feet from the pitless adapter or well seal
3
to the water drawdown level in the well that yields the ow rate
required by the pump
+
+
Friction Loss
Water owing through piping will lose head depending on the size,
4
type and length of piping, number of ttings, and ow rate. Example:
Pumping 20 GPM through 500 ft. of 1 1/4" plastic pipe with three
elbows will cause a friction loss equal to:
500 ft. + 21 ft. (elbow loss)
100 ft.
Feet of Pipe _______________ Diameter of Pipe ______________
Type of Pipe __________________________________________
See Friction Loss Charts on Page 16
Total Dynamic Head
5
After determining TDH, match this number with capacity required
on pump curves of specic pumps in this catalog to select the
correct pump.
Gallons Per Minute (or Hour) Needed
Determining Flow Rate
Although methods will vary, in general, the Water Systems Council bases pump ow selection for a residential
system on total gallon usage during a seven minute peak demand period. This can be supplemented by using
a properly sized pressure tank.
Farms, irrigation, and lawn sprinklers demand more water.
The difference between submersible pump and surface pump sizing is that surface pumps, including jet pumps, show performance in “charted” form
versus “curves” for submersibles. Except for the “pumping level” (which is shown in feet in the charts) all other head/lift requirements should be
converted to PSIG for surface pump sizing. (Feet X .433 = PSIG (Pounds per Square Inch Gauge).
MORE ABOUT...
VERTICAL LIFT/ ELEVATION
The vertical distance between the
well head and the level at the point
of use. It must be ADDED to the
Total Dynamic/Total Discharge Head
if the inlet is lower than the outlet
and SUBTRACTED if the inlet is
higher. As a rule of good installation
practice, however, pipes should slope
continuously upward from the inlet to
the outlet to prevent entrapment of
air.
SERVICE PRESSURE
The range of pressure in the pressure tank
during the pumping cycle.
FRICTION LOSS
The loss of pressure or head due to
the resistance to ow in the pipe and
ttings. Friction loss is inuenced
by pipe size and uid velocity, and is
usually expressed in feet of head.
HORIZONTAL RUN
The horizontal distance between the
point where uid enters a pipe and the
point at which it leaves.
Vertical Lift / Elevation
1
The vertical distance in feet from the location of the pump
to the point of highest delivery (e.g. from a pump house
near the well to the second oor of a two story house)
Service Pressure
The average pressure switch setting.
2
Example 20/40 switch (1/2 HP) = 30 PSIG average (3/4 HP and larger pumps
have 30/50 switch settings) = 40 PSIG average
Friction Loss
3
Water owing through piping will lose head depending on the
size, type and length of piping, number of ttings, and ow
rate. Example: Pumping 10 GPM through 100 ft. of 1" plastic
pipe with 3 elbows will cause a friction loss equal to:
100 ft. + 18 ft. (elbow loss)
100 ft.
Feet of Pipe ___________ Diameter of Pipe __________
Type of Pipe __________________________________
See Friction Loss Charts on Page 16
X 6.31 ft (loss per 100') = 7.44' X .433 = 3.2 PSIG
X .433
X .433
Well Size
(inside diameter
in inches)
_________
PSIGFeet
+
PSIG
+
PSIGFeet
=
Pump Basics
TOTAL DYNAMIC/TOTAL
DISCHARGE HEAD or TDH
TDH and capacity required
determines pump size. The total
pressure or head the pump must
develop is the sum of Vertical Lift/
Elevation, The Service Pressure,
and The Friction Loss. All of these
measurements must be expressed in
the same units, usually feet of head
or pressure (PSI), before adding them
together. For aboveground pumps,
distance to water in feet are shown in
the respective charts.
PUMPING LEVEL
The lowest water level reached during
pumping operation. (Static level minus
drawdown)
STATIC OR STANDING WATER LEVEL
The undisturbed level of water in the
well before pumping. Not as important
as pumping level.
DRAWDOWN
The distance that the water level in the
well is lowered by pumping. It is the
difference between the STATIC WATER
LEVEL and the PUMPING LEVEL.
Total Dynamic/Discharge Head • 1 + 2 + 3 =
4
Pumping Level/Depth to Water
5
The vertical distance in feet from the pump to the water level including
draw down level - if any. In Shallow Well systems, referred to as suction
lift/head and is limited to 20 or 25 feet at sea level (deduct 1’ suction
capability for each 1000’ above sea level).
Note: Friction losses (3) in the suction piping must be added to the
pumping level for total suction lift.
Deep Well jet pump charts include the friction losses in the vertical piping
only. See page 15 if long horizontal, offset piping cannot be avoided.
No need to
convert-
Charts are
in feet
If 25' or less,
use shallow
well charts
If more than 25'
use deep
well charts
Determining Flow Rate
Although methods will vary, in general, the Water Systems Council bases pump ow selection for a
residential system on total gallon usage during a seven minute peak demand period. This can be
supplemented by using a properly sized pressure tank.
Farms, irrigation, and lawn sprinklers demand more water.
Gallons Per Minute (or hour) Needed
See Page 20 for water demands
After determining TDH and ow requirements in GPM / GPH, match these numbers
with surface pump charts in sections 3 and 4.
PSIG
Ft.
15
Pump Basics
Friction Loss - Charts
LOSS OF HEAD IN FEET, DUE TO FRICTION PER 100 FEET OF PIPE
3/4” Pipe
FLOW STEEL PLASTIC
US GAL C-100 C-140
MIN ID .824” ID .824”
1.5 1.13 .61
Pump Basics
2.0 1.93 1.04
2.5 2.91 1.57
3.0 4.08 2.21
3.5 5.42 2.93
4.0 6.94 3.74
4.5 8.63 4.66
5.0 10.50 5.66
6.0 -- 7.95
7.0 -- 10.60
2” Pipe2 1/2” Pipe
FLOW STEEL PLASTIC
US GAL C-100 C-140
MIN ID 2.067” ID 2.067”
10 .431 .233
15 .916 .495
20 1.55 .839
25 2.35 1.27
30 3.29 1.78
35 4.37 2.36
40 5.60 3.03
45 6.96 3.76
50 8.46 4.57
55 10.10 5.46
60 11.90 6.44
70 -- 8.53
80 -- 10.90
1” Pipe
FLOW STEEL PLASTIC
US GAL C-100 C-140
MIN ID 1.049” ID 1.049”
2 .595 .322
3 1.26 .680
4 2.14 1.15
5 3.42 1.75
6 4.54 2.45
8 7.73 4.16
10 11.7 6.31
12 -- 8.85
14 -- 11.8
FLOW STEEL PLASTIC
US GAL C-100 C-140
MIN ID 2.469” ID 2.469”
20 .654 .353
30 1.39 .750
40 2.36 1.27
50 3.56 1.92
60 4.99 2.69
70 6.64 3.58
80 8.50 4.59
90 10.60 5.72
100 -- 6.90
110 -- 8.25
120 -- 9.71
130 -- 11.30
1 1/4” Pipe
FLOW STEEL PLASTIC
US GAL C-100 C-140
MIN ID 1.380” ID 1.380”
4 .564 .304
5 .853 .460
6 1.20 .649
7 1.59 .860
8 2.04 1.10
10 3.08 1.67
12 4.31 2.33
14 5.73 3.10
16 7.34 3.96
18 9.13 4.93
20 11.10 6.00
25 -- 9.06
1 1/2” Pipe
FLOW STEEL PLASTIC
US GAL C-100 C-140
MIN ID 1.61” ID 1.61”
4 .267 .144
6 .565 .305
8 .962 .520
10 1.45 .785
12 2.04 1.10
14 2.71 1.46
16 3.47 1.87
18 4.31 2.33
20 5.24 2.83
25 7.90 4.26
30 11.1 6.0
35 -- 7.94
40 -- 10.20
3” Pipe4” Pipe
FLOW STEEL PLASTIC
US GAL C-100 C-140
MIN ID 3.0” ID 3.068”
20 .149 .129
30 .316 .267
40 .541 .449
50 .825 .676
60 1.17 .912
70 1.57 1.22
80 2.03 1.56
90 2.55 1.95
100 3.12 2.37
110 3.75 2.84
120 4.45 3.35
130 5.19 3.90
140 6.00 4.50
FLOW STEEL PLASTIC
US GAL C-100 C-140
MIN ID 4.0” ID 4.026”
20 .038 .035
30 .076 .072
40 .128 .120
50 .194 .179
60 .273 .250
70 .365 .330
80 .470 .422
90 .588 .523
100 .719 .613
110 .862 .732
120 1.02 .861
130 1.19 1.00
140 1.37 1.15
16
Example:
10 GPM with 1’ plastic pipe has 6.31’ of loss per 100 ft. - if your run is 50 ft., multiply by .5, if 250 ft. multiply by 2.5, etc.
Loss through ttings in terms of equivalent lengths of pipe
PIPE & FTG.
TYPE FITTING MATERIAL.
& APPLICATION (Note 1)
Note 1: Loss gures are based on equivalent lengths of indicated pipe material
Note 2: Loss gures are for screwed valves and are based on equivalent lengths of steel pipe
Note 3: Loss gures for copper lines are approximately 10% higher than shown for plastic
PIPE & FTG.
TYPE FITTING MATERIAL.
& APPLICATION (Note 1)
1/2 3/4 1 1
2
Steel 4 5 6 8 9 11 14
Standard tee Copper 4 5 6 8 9 11 14
Flow through side Plastic 7 8 9 12 13 17 20
Gate valve Note 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Swing check valve Note 2 4 5 7 9 11 13 16
EQUIVALENT LENGTH OF PIPE
NOMINAL SIZE FITTING & PIPE
1
⁄4 11⁄2 2 21⁄
2
1-19
Pressure Tank - Sizing
Precharge Air
Pressure
Air Pressure
Increasing
Pressure
Switch Cut-Out
Pressure
Air Pressure
Decreasing
Pressure
Switch Cut-In
Pressure
Tank empty
Pump comes
on and cycle
begins
1
Tank is filling
2
Tank is full
Pump turns off
3
Water is
being used
4
Tank is nearly
empty and pump
comes on to
repeat cycle
5
TANK OPERATIONS
Pump Basics
Pump Basics
Why do I need a tank?
There are four main reasons to include a tank in your system:
1. To protect and extend the life of the pump by reducing the number of cycles.
2. To provide storage of water under pressure for delivery between cycles.
3. To have reserve capacity for periods of peak demand.
4. To reduce system maintenance.
How do I choose a tank for my system?
Choosing the proper tank for your pumping system will greatly reduce the risk of premature pump failure. Most manufacturers recommend a
minimum run time of one minute in order to protect the pump and the pump motor. The larger the tank the longer the running time and fewer
pump cycles will result in longer pump life. One HP and larger pumps require longer run times.
To determine the proper size of tank, there are three factors to consider:
1. Pump ow rate in gallons per minute
2. Desired run time of the pump
3. Cut-in and cut-out psi of the pressure switch
From these factors you can determine the tank drawdown with the following equation:
Pump ow rate X run time = tank drawdown capacity required.
Tank drawdown capacity is the minimum amount of water stored and/or delivered by the pressure tank between pump shut-off and pump re-start.
This should not be confused with “tank volume.” For example, a pre-charged tank with a tank volume of 20 gallons has only ve to seven gallons
drawdown capacity depending on the cut-in / cut-out (on/off) setting of the pressure switch.
Pumps with ow rates (capacities) up to 10 GPM should have a tank with a minimum of one gallon drawdown capacity for each GPM delivered by
the pump. Example: 10 GPM pump = 10 gallon “drawdown”.
Pump ow rates from 11 to 20 GPM should have tank drawdowns approximately 1.5 times the GPM rating.
For example, 20 GPM X 1.5 = 30 gallon “drawdown”.
Pump ow rates above 20 GPM should have tank drawdowns approximately two times the GPM rating and multiple tanks should be considered.
(CHECK YOUR TANK MANUFACTURER’S CHARTS FOR TANK DRAWDOWN RATING.)
17
Pump Basics
Technical Data - Glossary
ACIDITY - A condition of water when the pH is below 7. See pH.
ALKALINITY - A condition of water when the pH is above 7. See pH.
AQUIFER - A water-saturated geologic unit or system that yields water to wells or springs at a sufcient rate that the wells or springs can serve as practical sources
of water.
Pump Basics
ARTESIAN WELL (owing and non-owing) - Well in which the water rises above the surface of the water in the aquifer after drilling is completed. It is a owing
artesian well if the water rises above the surface of the earth.
CENTRIFUGAL - Consists of a fan-shaped impeller rotating in a circular housing, pushing liquid towards a discharge opening. Simple design, only wearing parts are
the shaft seal and bearings (if so equipped). Usually used where a ow of liquid at relatively low pressure is desired. Not self-priming unless provided with a priming
reservoir or foot valve: works best with the liquid source higher than the pump (ooded suction/gravity feed). As the discharge pressure (head) increases, ow and driven
power requirements decrease. Maximum ow and motor loading occur at minimum head.
CHECK VALVE - Allows liquid to ow in one direction only. Generally used in suction and discharge line to prevent reverse ow.
CISTERN - A non-pressurized tank (usually underground) for storing water.
COAGULATION - The chemically combining of small particles suspended in water.
CONTAMINATED WATER- Water that contains a disease causing or toxic substances.
DEEP WELL - Use a pump (submersible or deep well jet) to force water upward from a pumping element below the well water level. Not restricted by suction lift
limitations.
DRAWDOWN - The vertical distance the water level drops in a well pumped at a given rate.
DYNAMIC HEAD - Vertical distances (in feet) when the pump is running/producing water.
FLOODED SUCTION - Liquid source is higher than pump and liquid ows to pump by gravity (Preferable for centrifugal pump installations).
FLOW - The measure of the liquid volume capacity of a pump. Given in Gallons Per Hour (GPH) or Gallons Per Minute (GPM), as well as Cubic Meters Per Hour (CMPH),
and Liters Per Minute (LPM).
FOOT VALVE - A type of check valve with a built-in strainer. Used at point of liquid intake to retain liquid in the system, preventing loss of prime when liquid source
is lower than pump.
FRICTION LOSS - The loss of pressure or head due to the resistance to ow in the pipe and ttings. Friction loss is inuenced by pipe size and uid velocity, and is
usually expressed in feet of head.
GRAINS PER GALLON - The weight of a substance, in grains, in a gallon. Commonly, grains of minerals per gallon of water as a measure of water hardness.
1 gpg = 17.1 mgl.
GROUND WATER - Water that has ltered down to a saturated geologic formation beneath the earth’s surface.
HARDNESS MINERALS - Minerals dissolved in water that increase the scaling properties and decrease cleansing action - usually calcium, iron, and magnesium.
HEAD - Another measure of pressure, expressed in feet. Indicates the height of a column of water being lifted by the pump neglecting friction losses in piping.
INCRUSTATION - A mineral scale chemically or physically deposited on wetted surfaces, such as well screens, gravel packs, and in tea kettles.
INTERMEDIATE STORAGE - A holding tank included in a water system when the water source does not supply the peak use rate.
JET PUMP - A pump combining two pumping principles - centrifugal operation and ejection. Can be used in shallow or deep wells.
MILLIGRAMS PER LITER (mg/l)- The weight of a substance, in milligrams in a liter. 1 mg/l = 1 oz. per 7500 gallons. It is equivalent to 1 ppm.
See Parts per Million.
NEUTRALITY - A condition of water when the pH is at 7. See pH.
OXIDATION - A chemical reaction between a substance and oxygen.
PALATABLE WATER - Water of acceptable taste. May also include non-offensive appearance and odor.
PARTS PER MILLION, ppm - A measure of concentration; one unit of weight or volume of one material dispersed in one million units of another; e.g., chlorine
in water, carbon monoxide in air. Equivalents to indicate small size of this unit: 1 ppm = 1 oz. per 7500 gallons; 1 kernel of corn in 13 bushels 1/4 sq. in. in an acre.
PEAK USE RATE - The ow rate necessary to meet the expected maximum water demand in the system.
pH - A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of water. Below 7 is acid, above 7 is alkaline.
POLLUTED WATER - Water containing a natural or man-made impurity.
POTABLE WATER - Water safe for drinking.
PRESSURE - The force exerted on the walls of a container (tank pipe, etc.) by the liquid. Measured in pounds per square inch (PSI).
PRIME - A charge of liquid required to begin pumping action of centrifugal pumps when liquid source is lower than pump. May be held in pump by a foot valve on the
intake line or a valve or chamber within the pump.
RELIEF VALVE - Usually used at the discharge of a pump. An adjustable, spring-loaded valve opens, or relieves pressure when a pre-set pressure is reached. Used
to prevent excessive pressure and pump or motor damage if discharge line is closed off.
SHALLOW WELL - Use a pump located above ground to lift water out of the ground through a suction pipe. Limit is a lift of 33.9 feet at sea level.
SOFTENING - The process of removing hardness caused by calcium and magnesium minerals.
SPRING - A place on the earth’s surface where ground water emerges naturally.
STATIC HEAD - Vertical Distance (in feet) from pump to point of discharge when the pump is not running.
Pump Basics
STRAINERS - A device installed in the inlet of a pump to prevent foreign particles from damaging the internal parts.
SUBMERGENCE / SETTING - The vertical distance between PUMPING LEVEL and the bottom of the pump or jet assembly. Submergence must be sufcient to insure
that the suction opening of the pump or jet assembly is always covered with water, while maintaining enough clearance from the bottom of the well to keep it out of
sediment (at least 10 foot clearance is recommended). Could be useful when guring friction loss.
SUBMERSIBLE - A pump which is designed to operate totally submersed in the uid which is being pumped. With water-proof electrical connections, using a motor
which is cooled by the liquid.
SUMP - A well or pit in which liquids collect below oor level.
SURGING - Forcing water back and forth rapidly and with more than normal force in a well or other part of the water system.
TOTAL HEAD - The sum of discharge head suction lift and friction losses.
VISCOSITY - The thickness of a liquid, or its ability to ow. Temperature must be stated when specifying viscosity, since most liquids ow more easily as they get
warmer. The more viscous the liquid the slower the pump speed required.
WATER TABLE WELL - A well where the water level is at the surface of the aquifer.
WATER TREATMENT - A process to improve the quality of water.
WATER WELL - A man-made hole in the earth from which ground water is removed.
WELL DEVELOPMENT - A process to increase or maintain the yield of a well.
19
Pump Basics
Technical Data
MEASUREMENT CONVERSION FACTORS (APPROXIMATE)
Metric x Conversion Factor = CustomaryCustomary x Conversion Factor = Metric
LENGTH
mm millimeter ............................. 0.04 inches in
cm centimeters ............................. 0.4 inches in
m meters ..................................... 3.3 feet ft
Pump Basics
m meters ..................................... 1.1 yards yd
km kilometers ............................... 0.6 miles mi
AREA
2
square centimeters ............... 0.16 square inches in
Example: Vertical distance to water is 60 feet, but a 100 feet horizontal / offset (run of piping) is required. A 3/4
HP jet pump is used so the capacity should be taken from the “80' depth to water” performance.
For example: 60 feet to water + 22 feet friction loss (with 1 1/4 x 1 1/4 two pipe system) = 82 feet, which is
approximately 80 feet.
Installation of a Long Tail Pipe on Deep Well Jet Pumps
The pumping capacity of a deep well jet pump can be reduced to equalize with the well ow by installing a 35
foot tail pipe below the jet assembly.
With a tail pipe, pump delivery remains at 100% of capacity down to the ejector level. If water level falls below
that, ow decreases in proportion to drawdown as shown by gures. When delivery equals well inow, the water
level remains constant until the pump shuts off. The pump will not lose prime with this tail pipe arrangement.
1
⁄4 x 1 11⁄4 x 11⁄4 11⁄2 x 11⁄4 11⁄2 x 11⁄2 2 x 11⁄2 2 x 2 21⁄
x 2 21⁄2 x 21⁄2 3 x 21⁄2 3 x 3
2
21
Pump Basics
Drop Cable Selection Chart
Single-Phase, Two or Three Wire Cable, 60 HZ (Service Entrance to motor)
Lengths marked * meet the U.S. National Electrical Code ampacity only for individual conductor 75°C cable. Only the lengths without
cable. Local code requirements may vary.
meet the code for jacketed 75°C
*
CAUTION!! Use of wire sizes smaller than determined above will void warranty, since low starting voltage and early failure of the unit will result. Larger wire sizes (smaller
numbers) may always be used to improve economy of operation.
(1) If aluminum conductor is used, multiply above lengths by 0.61. Maximum allowable length of aluminum wire is considerably shorter than copper wire of same size.
A.Y. McDonald offers a full line of four inch submersibles ranging from 1/3 through 5 horsepower, with ow
rates ranging from 5 to 25 GPM. Our 21000 submersibles offer peak capacity performance in 5, 7, 10, 15,
20, and 25 GPM models.
Powered by NEMA approved A.Y. McDonald stainless steel motors.
The charts on the following page will assist you in choosing the pump that meets your needs.
Discharge Casting
No-Lead Brass Alloy
Cable Guard
Stainless steel cable guard protects motor
leads. Angled top helps keep leads stationary
when lowering and raising submersible
pump.
Submersible Pumps
Check Valve
Acetal check valve poppet and seal housing, Buna-N
O-ring, and stainless steel washer head retention
screw. Threaded for easy installation or removal.
Working pressure of 400 PSI.
Discharge Bearing
Rubber surrounding the stainless steel
shaft provides superior wear resistance
against the harshest conditions while
maintaining shaft alignment. Self
lubricating for long life.
Diffuser
Polycarbonate durable, corrosion, and
abrasion resistant. Designed for efcient
performance and superior sand handling
capability.
Impeller
Glass Bead Acetal. This smooth and exible
material is precision
engineered for maximum performance.
- Once assembled, each
pump is individually tested to
assure performance within
design specications.
- Each pump is stamped with
the tester’s “signature” marking
to assure quality control.
- Non-corrosive in-take screen
- Cutaway illustrates features and
is not indicative of specic
model performance.
A.Y. McDonald uses it’s time proven captured
stack design. The captured stack design
incorporates sand notches into the diffusers,
which has proven, over time, to keep sand
owing thru the stack.
Polished Stainless Steel Shell
Heavy duty and threaded at both ends for
easy eld service.
Shaft
7/16” 300 series stainless steel, hex design
for positive impeller drive. Each shaft
individually measured for straightness with
strict tolerances.
Model 21050K3A is a 1/2 HP, three wire, 115 volt, single phase no-lead brass
4" submersible pump, designed to pump in the 10 GPM range.
Horsepower
030 - 1/3 HP
050 - 1/2 HP
075 - 3/4 HP
100 - 1 HP
150 - 1 1/2 HP
200 - 2 HP
300 - 3 HP
500 - 5 HP
NOTES
- Standard is 230V, Single Phase, 60 HZ (no sufx letter required)
- Two-Wire Single phase models include; pump, motor, leads
- Three-Wire Single phase models include; pump, motor, leads, and control box
- Three-Wire Three phase models include; pump, motor, leads, and starter kit
- All submersible pumps include internal check valves and ground lead on motor.
Series
J Series - 5 GPM
V Series - 7 GPM
K Series - 10 GPM
L Series - 15 GPM
P Series - 20 GPM
M Series - 25 GPM
Wires
Two wire or
Three wire
A
OtherControls
Leave blank for 230V
60 HZ, Single Phase (Standard)
A - 115V Single Phase
Other Options Contact Factory
Z - 230V Three Phase
Y - 460V Three Phase
Leave blank for
Control (Standard)
LB - Less box
(Single Phase Option)
LS - Less starter
(Three Phase Option)
Submersible Pumps
Locating the code number on the pump
K18050K
230V2 X
EXAMPLE
Date Code
Motor HP
Pump
Series
K18 050K
230V2 X
Voltage
No. of
Power
Leads
Assembler’s
Code
A code is stamped on each A.Y. McDonald
submersible pump. Contained in this code is the
following information:
- Date of manufacture
- Motor HP
- Pump Series
- Voltage
- Number of power leads
- Assembler’s code
25
21000 Series
M
c
D
O
N
A
L
D
A
B
J Series - 5 GPM
A.Y. McDonald offers a full line of no-lead brass submersible pumps built for years of trouble free operation, with high-efciency impellers
and diffusers. These submersibles offer peak capacity performance in 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 gallons per minute (GPM). Other features
include no-lead discharge head with a built-in check valve, and stainless steel shaft and coupling.
All J Series No-Lead Pumps come with a 1 1/4” discharge and sizes range from 1/3 to 1 1/2 horse power (HP). Two or three wire models
up to 1 1/2 horse power (HP).
* All one-third horsepower pumps are furnished with one-half horsepower motors (and control boxes where applicable).
** All three wire pumps are available in three phase by selecting pump end and appropriate motor and starter kit (see pages 108-118).
FRICTION LOSSES IN RISER PIPE HAVE NOT BEEN CALCULATED
27
21000 Series
M
c
D
O
N
A
L
D
A
B
V Series - 7 GPM
A.Y. McDonald offers a full line of no-lead brass submersible pumps built for years of trouble free operation, with high-efciency impellers
and diffusers. These submersibles offer peak capacity performance in 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 gallons per minute (GPM). Other features
include no-lead discharge head with a built-in check valve, and stainless steel shaft and coupling.
All V Series No-Lead Pumps come with a 1 1/4” discharge and sizes range from 1/3 to 2 horse power (HP). Two wire models up to 1 1/2
horse power (HP) or three wire models up to 2 horse power (HP).
* All one-third horsepower pumps are furnished with one-half horsepower motors (and control boxes where applicable).
** All three wire pumps are available in three phase by selecting pump end and appropriate motor and starter kit (see pages 108-118).
FRICTION LOSSES IN RISER PIPE HAVE NOT
BEEN CALCULATED
29
21000 Series
M
c
D
O
N
A
L
D
A
B
K Series - 10 GPM
A.Y. McDonald offers a full line of no-lead brass submersible pumps built for years of trouble free operation, with high-efciency impellers and
diffusers. These submersibles offer peak capacity performance in 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, and 25 gallons per minute (GPM). Other features include
no-lead discharge head with a built-in check valve, and stainless steel shaft and coupling.
All K Series No-Lead Pumps come with a 1 1/4” discharge and sizes range from 1/3 to 5 horse power (HP). Two wire models up to 1 1/2 horse
power (HP) or three wire models up to 5 horse power (HP).
* All one-third horsepower pumps are furnished with one-half horsepower motors (and control boxes where applicable).
** All three wire pumps are available in three phase by selecting pump end and appropriate motor and starter kit (see pages 108-118).